Multiple-current motor.



W. T; BRIDGES. MULTIPLE GUPRIJNT MOTOR. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 11, 1910.

Patented Aug. 6, 1912.

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Invent or:

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W. T. BRIDGES.

MULTIPLE GURRBNTMOTOR. APPLICATION nun r212. 11, 1910.

1,034,683. Patented Aug. 6, 1912.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

To all whom it may concern:

FFCE.

WILLIAM '1. BRIDGES, OF LOS AN GELES, CALIFORNIA MULTIPLE-CURRENT MOTOR.

Specification of Letters Patent. Applicatidn filedFebruary ll, 1910.

Patented Aug. 6.1912. .Serial No. 543,225.

I Fig. and illustrating details of the con- Ete 1t known that I WILLIAM T. BRIDGES, struct on of th a citizen of United States,

' Los ngeles, 1n the county of Los Angeles In such a Way that the goveinoi Ill throw sand State of Cahfo-rmm'have invented new the wheel out .of operation and maintain and useful Improvementsin Multiple-Cur: out Of p ift on- Fig. 9 s a fragm n a1 motor in" such Tl, certai ppa ts away. this view I means for transmitting the po and particularly illustrating the governor ..adapted to be 'set upon a beach where the waves coming in (motor! shoui h the driven shaft .tion showing xiochanism for ratsing the blades into an rent Motors, of specification. 4 1

This invention relates to water current motors or Wave motors, and is particularly operated by currents passing in opposite directions. For this reason it .has a special utility as a wave motor when view showurg a partot' the governor wheel position, to maintain them so.

strike the upper-blades of the motor and the t e frame of-the motor comprises ,a base undertow current strikes the lower blades. frame 10 otsubs'tantially triangular form. The motorls constructed in such a Way that and) upon this base posts or standards 11 are mounted which support the-upper frame rection of the 'current,'and it is also immaterial at what elevation on the motor the dividing plane between the two'currentslies. a. i

The object'bf the invention is to reducea motor of simple construction which willoperate as described'and to constructlthe I l a way that the power from tangular 'framesito which-a plurality of the motor can be transmitted ata substan; blades-'17 are attached, as indicated.- These tia-lly uniform rate. I

A further object of the invention is to provide a motor with governor means which (will throw the motor out of operat ifn if it commences to rotate at too high a speed.

and 12 are in the. torm of long axes horizontal and extending outwardly on the faces'of the fra 16. The upper edges ot the connected framesxlfi, as. shown. stood. that these blades areattached so that they tend to hang downqit the sides of the lade frames and all of the blades which I are attached to. one bladef frame or arm" are attaclied 'i on' same I Furtherhibre theposit-ion. of the blades on eachg'arm with respect to the rotatziongis the samefor all the The upper end- 0f the shaftlo .with a bevel corresponding beyel I counter sh'a-ff 21-5. said counter shaft being mounted in a horizontal position on the. upper side of the frame. At the right on ammoniushaft 21 it is provided with a blades l6 are I fully iljus'trates {my invention, Figurel i s' a plan of themotor constructed accordin to, my invention. L'Fig. 2 is a s id efelcvati or the l "Ill Fig. 1. fig... [is a verlten on the ,line of Fig. being omitted and broken illustrates, particularly the er from the motor to--'the driven shaft. ,Fig. 4 is a verti'cal section taken on the line ;4; ot Fig.1:

tical section};

arms.

means. Fig. .13 line 5- 5--'of-"l*ig. l, and particularlyillust'rating'the connection to the fly Wh'eel'from Fig. 6 is a vertical s'tdetails of the. governing 1s a section' taken on the ratchet wheel 22 which i iir'ame-(said pawl operating-to prevent a lmckward rotation of this shaft, as will be readily understoml. ,At an point on the shaft 21 a sprocket wheel 24 is provided loose on the shaft,'ahd on the iii-operative position. Fig. 7 is a plaii of 'part of the mechanism shown-"In'hhg. t3, certain parts-being broken away. Fig. 8- 1s a --iz'ertical section taken on the line 8 8 of eferring more particularly to the parts,

12. As indicated in Fig. l/theseframes ltl 75- blades are of rectangular form having their.

mes orfla-rmsby hinge joints l8 ,with the blade; I It should be under- 9 side ther bt'. direction of isprofvided I gear 19 which meshes-with a 10-0 gear 20 carried bv' a as indicated in Fig. 1 10'5 intermediate 11o inner ends are attached to the shaft 21.

. the shaft adjacent thereto.- The sprocket 32ers attached to the sprocket wheel 29 is driven in a forward direction .by the ;'chain 28 the sprocket wheel-29 will he rotated' in the direction of the arrow shown 50 against the frame to which" they are at- YQ 1,034.,ses

sides of this sprocket wheel, involute s r1ngs 25 are attached. As" indicated in 1g. -3, the outer ends of these springs are attached to the sprocket wheel while the on the opposite arm D it closes the blades against the face of the arm and tends torotate the wheel in a forward direction.

In this way by providin a plurality of horizontally arranged bla es, the plane be- "a tween the current coming in and hecurrent goinglout may be located at any height on the w eel; and thewheel will operate so that the blades that are above thisipljane will act in unison with each other iiiutil'di- 5- rection to utilize the useful forceof the u per cu rent, while the blades helowthe.

' O posite. the counter shaft 21 a driven sha t26 is mounted arallel therewith on the upper 'part of the. rame, and this shaft 26 is provided with a sprocket wheel 27., which o adapted to be driven ,by 'a sprocket chain 28. from the wheel'Q l, as indicated. On this; shaft 26 there", is mounted a loose sprocket wheel :29. This-sprocket wheel is rigid with a fly wheel 30 mounted loose on p ane of division between the currents will act in unison and utilize the useful ion-ag r '1 the lower current. r p I I provide 'means for throwing-theblade ai out of operation by raising them to a sub stantially horizontal position, if the wheel should tend to rotate too fast. -For-thispur-Q .pose. I-provide on. the shaft 15 abovethe 35. arms of the wheel a sliding collar and, on the upper side of this collar runa lurality o anti-friction rollers-37. es'e rollers 37 support a plurality oftgovernor bars .38, which are'hung on links -39 upon the 90 arms of the wheel respectivelg 'and'near their pointof attachment to t shait 15. This arrangement is illustrated verylclearlyin Figs. Sand 7. The rollers'areconnect' V with the upper ends of the bars by-linlgs 4'0 9'5 as shown, and the bars 38' are provided? j with substantiallyhorizontal fingersv 41', which hook behind the edges of theblades in such a way that when the-bars swing. outwardly and the collar 36 is1r8 is'ed, t ese 1m fingers 41. w'll drag the blades up 'toj'a sub; stantially horizontal position. '-I rovidej means for automaticallyoperating't s ool- 31 lar- 36. For this purpose I attach pull cords 42 to the opposite sides of the collar as 1 5 illustrated in. Fig. 4 and these cords, P3158 of which are disposed in the direction of upwardly andpass around g'uide'sheaves ltlgffl the movement of the currents, and .two of From these guide sheaves 43- they passover which are disposed at right angles to the dito a governor drum bout wh ch the pull, 45 rection of the movement of the current. cords wrap as' ind-1c ated. This governor I d When the current A strikes the blades of drum is rigid with the hub ofa'gpvarnor. the arm C, (which is the adjacent arm as wheel 45., which 1s loose on the s att.26 viewed in Fig. 2) this current strikes the the governor wheel 45 presents an over 'upper blades 17 and throws them back hanging rim i6 and in the wheel a governor hub 48 is mountedhaving radial arms 47,1 5 and this hub 48 is rigidly attached to-thes 1" shaft 26. On the ends of the arms 47 miernor weights 49 are pivotally attac ed which tend to fly outwardly by theaction'. of the centrifugal force and their outer. 12 sides present faces 50 which arefadapted to come a amst the inner'side of the rim 4'6 whenlt e governor is operating. In'thisrotation of the wheel. In this way the way by frictional contact with the-rim. 4 6 0 force of the current is utilized on one side 'oi these weights 0 erate as shown, tending to 1 'the wheel, but not'onthe other side, and in rotate the whee 45 in thedire'ction of the.. a similar manner the current B. operates to arrow shown in Fig. 1. This will rotate; advaince the wheel. On the arm C it swings the drum &4 and draw in the cords 42, iniback the lower blades 34 without substanthis way the collar 36 will be drawn up-fl g5 tially resisting the rotation of the wheel, but

wheel 29 is adapted to be driven contmus ousl from-the shaft" when it rotates. The

I sha t 26 is provided with arigid. ratchet wheel 31 as1ndicated in Fig. 5, andpawls and engage with the teeth of this gratchet- 4 wheel 31 so that when the drivenshaft 26 m'Fi 5.- The arrangement is such however, that if the fly wheel'30 should tend to rotate faster th'anltheshaft 26,.the pawls 32 will simply slip -over'the teeth of the 30 ratchet wheel 31 andpermit it torotate faster than the shaft, as will be readily unde t o J I In the operation of the wheel, it should be. understood that the motor is .set'on a 35beach where it may be subjected to currents of water. moving in opposite directions an inward wave currentcoming in the direction of the arrow A. in Fig. 1, while an outward undertow B moves in the direc- 4'4 tion of the lower arrow. As illustrated in Fig. 1 thewheel presents four arms, two

- tached, tending to rotate the shaft 15 and the water wheel in the direction of. the

arrow in Fig. 1. This current however, has

no efiect on the arm D of the water wheel (which is the remote arm of the wheel as viewed in Fig. 2,) for.the current on this side will simply swing the blades 33 toward the'rear 'wit respect to the direction of ward. In order to guide the collar upward 15 v in Fig. 4.

"vided with springs 52 which connect them 'flying outwardly under centrifugal force.

vert ible ratchet 54 as indicated in p are open and operatlve.

' notches 54 will be filled org rendered blank.

-' that the energy developed by the rotation I mechanism, and they also operate as equalits normal position as soon as the speed of notches 59 and 60.

'62 secured on the disk w ,shownl When the linksare arranged with parted to the ratchet wheel. 24. The springs from floating ice '1 down in the current.

of the wheel in the current may vary consi'derab y. v

Having describel my invention what I claim as. new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a water I provide guide stems 51 eirtending down from the upper part of the frame as shown The counter Weights 49 are prowith the arms 47 and prevent them from the action of the current motor in combination, a frame, a vertical shaft mounted in said frame, a plurality of arms radially mounted on said shaft, a plurality of blades having hinge connections with said arms adapted to hang down from said hinge connections, saidblades being attached on the same side of said arms wlth'respect to the direction of rotation, a counter shaft driven by said first shaft, a governor driven by said counter shaft, and members resting against said blades but unattached thereto for controlling the position of said blades through said governor, said members permitting the .independent movement of said blades by the reverse'water current.

2. In a water current motor in combination, a frame, a vertical shaft, a plurality of arms extending radially from said shaft, a plurality of blades having hinge connections with said arms adapted to hang down from said hinge connections, a counter shaft driven from said shaft, a governor driven from said counter shaft, a sliding collar mounted on said first shaft, and members controlled by said sliding collar for connecting the same with said blades to raise said blades through the operation of said governor, said members being unattached to said blades so as to permit the independent movement thereof by the reverse current.

In a water current motor in combina tion, a frame, a vertical shaft mounted in said frame, a plurality of arms extending substantially radially from said shaft, a plurality of blades having hinge connections with said arms normally hanging down from said hinge connections, a counter shaft driven from said first shaft, a governor driven from said counter shaft, a colshaft 26'I provide a conwheel 53which consists of a 'dlskhaving a plurality of notches 54. On this rim cotiperating with these notches there is provided, apawl 55. Under normal conditions these notches 54 are open indicated in Fig. 8 so that when the governor is operated as described above to raise the collar 36 this pawl will lock the collar in an elevated position, thus the blades of the wheel will be held in 'a'raised or inopera-' tive position. I provide the wheel 53 with means .for transforming it into a blank wheel so that the collar 36 may descend to On the driven For this I provide curved pivotally attached by free ends of these leaves the bottoms of the notches Fig. 8 so,that the notches At the sides of the leaves 56 links 58 are attached and the inner ends of these. links 58 are" provided with On the face of the disk pins 61 are provided which are adapted to engage these notches and the links may be held in engagement with the pins by springs behind them as the motor drops again to normal. purpose on the edges 50 leaves 56 which are pivot bolts 57 The 56 normallylie at the notches 60 in engagement with the pins, the leaves make the notches 54 operative, but if the leaves are swung outwardly and the notches. 59 applied tothe pins, the

Thlsarrangement is illustrated in Fig. 9 whereit will be seen that when the leaves are disposed outwardly in this manner their 11 outer faces form continuations of the pe- 1 lidi on id fir t h ft, b xte ding riphery' of the wheel so that the Wheel 53 downwardly from said collar and supported becomes to all lntents and purposes a blank thereby, fingers carried by said bars en agdisk; it will then be unaffected by the pawl with which it normally cooperates.

By providing the springs 25 it will be seen ing said blades but unattached thereto and adapted to raise the same when said collar is raised, and a connection between said governor and said collar.

In a water current motor in combination, a frame, a shaft mounted in said frame, blades supported by said shaft andadapted to rotate the same, a ratchet wheel driven from said shaft, a fly wheel mounted c0- axially withs'aid ratchet wheel, and pawls connected with said fly wheel and engaging said ratchet wheel, said pawls affording means for rotating said fly wheel andperinitting the rotation of said flywheel faster than said ratchet wheel.

5,111 a water current motor in combination, a frame, a vertical shaft/mounted 130- of the water wheel will be resiliently im- 25 react against the pawl 23 which prevents the shaft from rotating backwardly. The springs 25 absorbshocks which otherwise might be imparted from the blades-l7 to the machinery, which shocks might occur or obstructions passing In this way the springs operate to prevent injury to the lzers to rotate the driven shaft at a substantially uniform speed although the speed therein, blades supported by said shaft and adapted to rotate the same, a counter shaft driven from said first shaft, means for preventing a backward rotation of said counter shaft, a wheel mounted loosely on said counter shaft, springs for driving said wheel from said counter shaft, posite said counter shaft, means for driving the same from said wheel, a fly wheel loose on said driven shaft, and means for driving said fly wheel in a forward direction from said driven shaft and permitting a faster rotation of said shaft.

6. In a water current motor in combination, a frame, a water wheel mounted in said frame and adapted to be rotated by a water current, said wheel havinga plurality of blades having hingedcoiinections therewith, a governor, means for driving said governor from said wheel, means connecting said governorwith said blades but unattached to said blades to raise the same when said wheel attains an abnormal speed, and means for locking said blades against return to their normal position.

7. In a. water current motor in combination, a frame, a water wheel mounted therein. a plurality of blades having hinged connections with said wheel, a drum, a gova driven shaft opfly wheel than said driven erndr} driven from said wheel and controlling said drum, a cord passing around said dru and adapted to raise or lower said blad s, a ratchet wheel rotating with said dru and a pawl cooperating with said ratchet wheel to look said drum against reverse movement.

$1 In a water current motor in combination, a frame, a water therein, a plurality of blades having hinged connections with said wheel, a drum, a governor driven from said wheel and controlling said drum, a cord passing around said drum and adapted to raise or lower said blades, a ratchet wheel rotating with said drum, a pawl cooperating with said ratchet wheel to lock said drum against reverse movement, said ratchet wheel having notches in the edge thereof cooperating with said pawl, and movable leaves mounted adjacent'to said notches and adapted to be secured so as to close said notches and render said wheel blank.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 4th day of February, 1910.

"WILLIAM T. BRIDGES. Witnesses:

F. D. AMMEN, EDMUND A. SrRAUsE.

wheel mounted 

